This video focuses on visceral fat, which is the fat located in the abdominal area.
Most people understand that fat cells serve to store fat, or excess energy, in the form of fat. Even a thin person has several hundred thousand calories stored in fat, which can sustain them for weeks without food. But why do we need to differentiate fat cells in the abdominal area from those under the skin, on the buttocks and hips? This is because fat cells in the abdominal area are unique. Their number doesn't increase; it remains constant throughout life. Other fat cells can divide when necessary. If there's a need to store fat and insufficient space, a fat cell divides, resulting in two cells. A visceral fat cell doesn't divide; it expands, and can often increase its volume up to 20 times. A small fat cell is benign and poses little risk to its owner, perhaps aside from aesthetic concerns. A large fat cell is problematic. It's like a balloon that can inflate until it bursts. The fat cell strives to prevent this, so as it enlarges, it becomes more insulin-resistant, making it harder to store new fat reserves. Simultaneously, it attempts to shed fat, which is an unnatural and harmful state, in combination with high insulin levels. A large fat cell also suffers from oxygen deficiency because, due to its size, it's relatively distant from the nearest capillary. In a desperate attempt to secure oxygen, it triggers inflammatory processes, as these can stimulate the formation of new capillaries. Therefore, visceral fat poses a greater health risk than other types of fat.
Nature didn't arrange this randomly. It aimed to prevent excessive fat accumulation in the abdomen, where all vital organs are located, which could compress them. For this reason, women of reproductive age (until menopause) have a significantly lower likelihood of accumulating visceral fat than men. Nature allows space for a baby.
Where fat is stored is largely determined by genetics. For instance, Asians generally have a greater tendency to store fat in the abdomen compared to Europeans.
Our diet also influences where fat is stored. If fat comes from foods that are primarily metabolized in the liver, it tends to be stored in the abdominal area. Examples include alcohol, fructose, and others. This is why a large belly is often referred to as a "beer belly."
Fat cells do not solely function to store fats. They act as an important endocrine organ; in women after menopause, for example, they become the primary source of estrogen production. They also produce a sexual hormone called leptin, without which humanity would face extinction. It's truly remarkable how nature has arranged this. Imagine a woman lacking the desire for sexual activity when she doesn't have sufficient fat reserves to sustain the energy demands of pregnancy.
The key factor determining whether the body is in energy storage mode or energy release mode is insulin. Insulin is a crucial hormone belonging to the peptide category. All cells in the body have receptors that respond to it. It is classified as an anabolic hormone, meaning it promotes growth. Without insulin, a person would die because they would be unable to utilize glucose. They could eat until they burst, but their cells would simply be unable to process all that energy from food. People with Type 1 diabetes, who have a genetic disorder that prevents them from producing insulin, obtain it exclusively through artificial means, in injectable form. If such a person does not inject their insulin dose, they could consume a kilogram of chocolate and not gain a gram. They would feel absolutely miserable doing this, and if repeated frequently, they risk death, but they won't gain weight—and believe it or not, many people actually do this. This disorder is known as "dia-bulimia."
It's not just about calories. Fat storage is influenced by two interconnected factors: calories and insulin. When you consume many calories without insulin, you can die, literally burning from the inside. Conversely, when you have a lot of insulin and few calories, you can die of starvation. The combination of both determines how the body processes and stores energy.
Visceral fat cells release fat more readily than subcutaneous ones. If you manage to enter a state where you're burning fat, more of that fat is drawn from the fat cells in your abdomen. Achieving fat-burning mode can only be done by refraining from eating for a sufficiently long period. If you incorporate some physical activity that generates adrenaline, you can enhance the reduction of fat cells. What type of physical activity is best? Clearly, it's the one you will actually do. It's beneficial to engage as many muscles as possible, as they are the largest energy consumers.
Finally, one more intriguing fact. There is a sugar called allulose, which is a unique sugar similar to fructose, differing only by one carbon atom. When you consume allulose alongside fructose, allulose displaces fructose in the liver, thereby offering protection, and it has a very specific property: it can increase GLP-1 production tenfold. GLP-1 is the satiety hormone, essentially performing the same function as the much-discussed Ozempic does today. So if you want to satisfy your craving for sweetness, allulose might be one of the healthier options.